# Italian cigars



## retiredpol (Jan 10, 2014)

Has anyone smoked Italian cigars. And do they need to be put in the humid. Thanks for the replies. Everyone be careful out there.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

I have had the De Nobli and Toscanos They are great cheap smokes great at card games.
They are dry cured and require no humidor.
Sorta like the dutch made cigars actually there are many dry cured cigars made in Europe.


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## Packerjh (Nov 29, 2009)

I've smoked many of the Toscano cigars...lots of variety and some darn good smokes. 

They are ugly though


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

Being Italian Toscano or Toscanini were my first love. I usually buy the Garibaldi directly from Italy and they don't require any humidification, but you also don't want to keep them in the glove compartment of your car for a month.


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

I would really like to try the Classico, but every online source I go to is out of stock. Do you know of any online places that are currently stocking that one?


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## fshnpf (Jan 6, 2014)

All of the American made Italian type cigars (Parodi, Denobli, Avanti, Ramrod, and 3 or 4 others) are made by Avanti cigar Co. Except for the flavored ones, they are all exactly the same(acording to customer service at Avanti), but may be cut to different lengths. I used to get the Italian ones (before the went off the US market--and have since returned) and they also taste EXACTLY the same as the American made ones (by my taste buds). They are all made from the same Kentucky fire cured tobacco. I noticed that the price of the imported Italian ones have gone ballistic---they used to be roughly the same price as the American made ones. These are great cigars for smoking while you are fly fishing---they won't get soggy in your mouth, they are short but burn a long time, they can be relit numerous time with out any noticeable degredation, and mosquitoes HATE the aroma!


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## mi000ke (Feb 8, 2014)

The first cigar I smoked, and which got me hooked on cigar smoking, was a Parodi 45 years ago. (After a lot of beer while watching a Clint Eastwood western at college, the boys had to go on a pilgrimage to find some "Clint Eastwood cigars"). I have since smoked many Italian toscano style cigars as well as Parodis and Denobils, and really the American versions are pretty much the same. They are a great smoke just to have around, and you probably could leave them in your glove compartment for a couple of years and not know the difference  I go camping with some of my college buddies every year and even though I bring lots of premium cigars they still insist I bring Parodis as well for old time's sake.


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## GoMets (Sep 25, 2013)

Is there a classic high end cigar you guys can recommend and where to get them? I'm a first generation Italian American and I remember when I was a little kid my godfather coming over every Sunday after church and smoking a green stogie at the kitchen table while having coffee with my mom. I'd like to try one but really have no clue where to start?

Thanks for help!


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

fshnpf said:


> All of the American made Italian type cigars (Parodi, Denobli, Avanti, Ramrod, and 3 or 4 others) are made by Avanti cigar Co. Except for the flavored ones, they are all exactly the same(acording to customer service at Avanti), but may be cut to different lengths. I used to get the Italian ones (before the went off the US market--and have since returned) and they also taste EXACTLY the same as the American made ones (by my taste buds). They are all made from the same Kentucky fire cured tobacco. I noticed that the price of the imported Italian ones have gone ballistic---they used to be roughly the same price as the American made ones. These are great cigars for smoking while you are fly fishing---they won't get soggy in your mouth, they are short but burn a long time, they can be relit numerous time with out any noticeable degredation, and mosquitoes HATE the aroma!


There's nothing wrong with the american made toscano style cigars, but saying they're the same is incorrect. Just like cuban tobacco is different from other south american varieties, tobaccos toscano is different than the Kentucky fire cured one. Denobli are good in their own right, but they are not the same.

As far as the pricing going up on real toscanos, its because the government is about to collapse and they've increased taxes by 2 and 3 folds therefore companies have to charge more just to make ends meet. Its a complete cluster f*#k, and unfortunately there's no end in site.


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## Cigar-Enthusiast (Feb 2, 2014)

Do you still smoke an Italian cigar like a normal cigar or like a cigarette since they're dry?


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## mi000ke (Feb 8, 2014)

Regiampiero said:


> There's nothing wrong with the american made toscano style cigars, but saying they're the same is incorrect. Just like cuban tobacco is different from other south american varieties, tobaccos toscano is different than the Kentucky fire cured one. Denobli are good in their own right, but they are not the same. .


The Italian ones are made with the same Kentucky tobacco as the US ones. Unlike with Cuban cigars it is legal to move US tobacco to Europe, so it is not "US seed" tobacco, but the actual tobacco grown in good old Kentucky.


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## fshnpf (Jan 6, 2014)

What I said was that all the American toscano style cigars were the same. Parodi, Denobili, and several others used to be seperate companies which merged into one over the years. I was told by a service rep at Avanti, that they were all the same except for length and packaging. I also said that I used to smoke the imported Italian ones and couldn't taste any difference from the American made ones, and that they were all made from Kentucky fire cured tobacco. Acording to Wikepedia, the Italian made toscano cigars use some filler made from Kentucky tobaco leaf grown in Italy, but the wrappers are all Kentucky fire cured tobacco from Kentucky. The fire curing process produces such pungent tobacco, It like arguing whether a pot of chili was made from ground chuck or ground round! All you taste is the chili powder!


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

mi000ke said:


> The Italian ones are made with the same Kentucky tobacco as the US ones. Unlike with Cuban cigars it is legal to move US tobacco to Europe, so it is not "US seed" tobacco, but the actual tobacco grown in good old Kentucky.


No they're not. The seed is the same (Kentucky seed), but the tobacco is grown in Benevento, Italy. Its got nothing to do with import laws. If they place the Marchio Toscano as in the picture above, the tobacco has to come from Italy. Its part of a movement started a few years ago in order to protect the "made in Italy" and its the same for a bunch of products such as wine, olive oil, cheese and son on.


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## fshnpf (Jan 6, 2014)

This from Wikepedia

The Toscano cigar is not a typical cigar as the Kentucky tobacco used in making it is generally a pipe tobacco. Kentucky tobacco is cultivated in various regions of Italy, such as Tuscany, Campania, Lazio, Umbria, Veneto. For the wrapper, North American Kentucky leaves are used in various Toscano cigars because of its wider width. Kentucky leaves from Southern Italy, particularly Campania and Umbria, are used to attain certain sweet flavors found in Toscano Garibaldi and Toscanello Garibaldi.[4]


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## mi000ke (Feb 8, 2014)

Regiampiero said:


> No they're not. The seed is the same (Kentucky seed), but the tobacco is grown in Benevento, Italy. Its got nothing to do with import laws. If they place the Marchio Toscano as in the picture above, the tobacco has to come from Italy. Its part of a movement started a few years ago in order to protect the "made in Italy" and its the same for a bunch of products such as wine, olive oil, cheese and son on.


You are correct and I stand corrected, although some brands do use American Kentucky wrapper


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## mi000ke (Feb 8, 2014)

.. and the Toscano Anticos, for example, also use American Kentucky filler

But regardless, having smoked lots of Italian and American versions, they really are quite similar.


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

fshnpf said:


> This from Wikepedia
> 
> The Toscano cigar is not a typical cigar as the Kentucky tobacco used in making it is generally a pipe tobacco. Kentucky tobacco is cultivated in various regions of Italy, such as Tuscany, Campania, Lazio, Umbria, Veneto. For the wrapper, North American Kentucky leaves are used in various Toscano cigars because of its wider width. Kentucky leaves from Southern Italy, particularly Campania and Umbria, are used to attain certain sweet flavors found in Toscano Garibaldi and Toscanello Garibaldi.[4]


Here is Wikepedia link to the Garibaldi Toscano page. If you can read Italian you'll see that in the Caratteristiche (characteristics) section it clearly states that the tobacco in both fashia (wrapper) and ripieno (filler) the tobacco is Nationally grown.

Toscano Garibaldi - Wikipedia

Seriously...I've smoked and read about toscano cigars for more than a decade, so please believe me when I say you wrong. Not trying to be a duche, I just don't want miss information about cigars to be spread around this particular site.


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## Merovius (Sep 11, 2013)

MDSPHOTO said:


> I would really like to try the Classico, but every online source I go to is out of stock. Do you know of any online places that are currently stocking that one?


Tried one recently in Milan, didnt much care for it. I like full power, full body cigars but this one was too much for me, incredibly harsh.


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## brandharold (Feb 1, 2014)

Italian cigar is my best flavor cigar. I am still now use it. I like Both Normal and dry.


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

Merovius said:


> Tried one recently in Milan, didnt much care for it. I like full power, full body cigars but this one was too much for me, incredibly harsh.


Harsh from the fire curing like the KFC MUWAT or harsh in another way?


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## fshnpf (Jan 6, 2014)

Seems like I don't have enough posts to post a link. Anyway, google toscano cigars. Go halfway down the page to a website called italiansmokes. They sell six different italian toscano cigars. Click on each to see the wrapper and filler. In general they use a mix of italian kentucky and american kentucky for the filler and I believe that 4 of the 6 use american kentucky for the wrapper and 2 use italian kentucky for the wrapper. These are advertisements for Italian cigars and the manufacturers statements for what type of tobacco they use. The top of the line cigar, Toscano Antica Reserva, which sells for over $40 a pack, uses an American Kentucky wrapper. This isn't Italian "bashing", it's what the manufacturer says they use in their cigars!!!!


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## GoMets (Sep 25, 2013)

Here you go

https://www.italiansmokes.com


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## fshnpf (Jan 6, 2014)

I tried to get information about the Garibaldi, and as best I can tell, they aren't for sale in the US.


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

fshnpf said:


> Seems like I don't have enough posts to post a link. Anyway, google toscano cigars. Go halfway down the page to a website called italiansmokes. They sell six different italian toscano cigars. Click on each to see the wrapper and filler. In general they use a mix of italian kentucky and american kentucky for the filler and I believe that 4 of the 6 use american kentucky for the wrapper and 2 use italian kentucky for the wrapper. These are advertisements for Italian cigars and the manufacturers statements for what type of tobacco they use. The top of the line cigar, Toscano Antica Reserva, which sells for over $40 a pack, uses an American Kentucky wrapper. This isn't Italian "bashing", it's what the manufacturer says they use in their cigars!!!!


I don't get your point. I already knew that some have american tobacco in them (like the moro and the antico), you're not telling me anything I already didn't know. All I was saying is that real toscano have to have italian tobacco in them, whereas the american toscano "style" cigars don't usually (if ever) have italian tobacco in them. As far as tasting the same or not, you just said your self that the addition of italian tobacco (especially from campania) adds a sweeter note to the cigar.

And by the way, all toscano cigars can be purchased in the US. Some are rarer than others (like the moro), but all of them are available in limited quantities. I just cut off the middle man and call my uncle in sicily, have him buy a few packs and shipped them to me.

Toscano Garibaldi


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

Merovius said:


> Tried one recently in Milan, didnt much care for it. I like full power, full body cigars but this one was too much for me, incredibly harsh.


Do you remember which one it was specifically. I've tried a good number of them, but I like a little more sweetness in my toscanos and the Garibaldi fits me perfectly. If you can find some you should give them another try.


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## fshnpf (Jan 6, 2014)

Regiampiero said:


> No they're not. The seed is the same (Kentucky seed), but the tobacco is grown in Benevento, Italy. Its got nothing to do with import laws. If they place the Marchio Toscano as in the picture above, the tobacco has to come from Italy. Its part of a movement started a few years ago in order to protect the "made in Italy" and its the same for a bunch of products such as wine, olive oil, cheese and son on.


Am I losing my mind here? You have been going on and on about the purity of Italian cigars akin to the German purity laws for beer. When I finally prove that imported toscano cigars contain "American Kentucky tobacco, you say "whats your point-I knew that all along"?Ever think of running for political office?


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

fshnpf said:


> Am I losing my mind here? You have been going on and on about the purity of Italian cigars akin to the German purity laws for beer. When I finally prove that imported toscano cigars contain "American Kentucky tobacco, you say "whats your point-I knew that all along"?Ever think of running for political office?


Where exactly did I mention purity?! All I've been saying is that real toscano have to have italian tobacco in them whereas the american made ones don't. And I mentioned all this simply to illustrate that the original are not the same as the american made ones (as you were suggesting and latter on changed your mind), also the ones I smoke (garibaldi manly, as well as the modigliani and soldati) are 100% made with italian tobacco!


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

fshnpf said:


> All of the American made Italian type cigars (Parodi, Denobli, Avanti, Ramrod, and 3 or 4 others) are made by Avanti cigar Co. Except for the flavored ones, they are all exactly the same(acording to customer service at Avanti), but may be cut to different lengths. I used to get the Italian ones (before the went off the US market--and have since returned) and they also taste EXACTLY the same as the American made ones (by my taste buds). _*They are all made from the same Kentucky fire cured tobacco*_. I noticed that the price of the imported Italian ones have gone ballistic---they used to be roughly the same price as the American made ones. These are great cigars for smoking while you are fly fishing---they won't get soggy in your mouth, they are short but burn a long time, they can be relit numerous time with out any noticeable degredation, and mosquitoes HATE the aroma!





fshnpf said:


> Seems like I don't have enough posts to post a link. Anyway, google toscano cigars. Go halfway down the page to a website called italiansmokes. They sell six different italian toscano cigars. Click on each to see the wrapper and filler.* In general they use a mix of italian kentucky and american kentucky for the filler* and I believe that 4 of the 6 use american kentucky for the wrapper and 2 use italian kentucky for the wrapper. These are advertisements for Italian cigars and the manufacturers statements for what type of tobacco they use. The top of the line cigar, Toscano Antica Reserva, which sells for over $40 a pack, uses an American Kentucky wrapper. This isn't Italian "bashing", it's what the manufacturer says they use in their cigars!!!!


Who's changing their story? Again there's no real toscano that uses all american tobacco. Some do use american, but all use italian. Does this make sense to you now?


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## Packerjh (Nov 29, 2009)

Wow...


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## fshnpf (Jan 6, 2014)

Yada, yada yada! I'm out of here! I sugest you get a life and don't send any more threads on this topic! I never imagined a discussion of cigars would invoke this level of nationalistic pride!


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

fshnpf said:


> Yada, yada yada! I'm out of here! I sugest you get a life and don't send any more threads on this topic! I never imagined a discussion of cigars would invoke this level of nationalistic pride!


Its funny that most of the threads you've been putting here have been nothing but confrontational toward me and toscanos, yet I'm the one that needs to get a life! I think you need a new hobby because you might be one of those guys who smokes cigars as a status statement and not enjoyment.


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## Midnight_Ryder (Sep 17, 2013)

....Back to the OP's topic. Does C.A.O. Italia count? If not, then I have never had one. :dude:


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## jjashikki (Dec 19, 2013)

Midnight_Ryder said:


> ....Back to the OP's topic. Does C.A.O. Italia count? If not, then I have never had one. :dude:


Hahahaha ditto on that one.


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## McFortner (May 13, 2007)

I've had Avanti and Parodi cigars and I liked both of them. I need to remember to get some more soon. Won't be for a little while since we've got an ice storm heading this way.


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## demuths1770 (Jan 2, 2014)

Well now that the noobs out thay was shaking it up I am second generation Italian American and would love to try a true Italian cigar!!


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## Fuzzface (Nov 17, 2010)

I LOVE my Parodis... I dont know why, i love the occasional fine cigar but i could smoke Parodis all the time and be fine.

Nice and simple, great with a cup of coffee...


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## cpmcdill (Jan 11, 2014)

Relevant to this topic, CVS's decision to stop carrying tobacco products will have a major impact on the family business that makes Parodi and Avanti cigars, and they're scrambling to adapt. CVS has been one of their most important retail accounts, and now they must seek more ways to reach consumers via the internet:

Avanti Cigar hopes to shift lost CVS sales to web, other outlets - Business - The Times-Tribune


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## mi000ke (Feb 8, 2014)

Heading to Milan in a couple of months and in addition to searching out some of the "forbidden fruit", I plan to bring home a stash of authentic toscanos. As the message on the box of Parodis says, "Not strong. Not mild. Just different."


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## VictorLouis (Sep 29, 2014)

I discovered the Parodi/Avanti products in mid-August during the CVS clearout. I'd always heard about them in-passing over the years, never trying one. Well, I spent my limit of disposable income on their 'traditional' cigars, and only got a pack of Amazetti and Toscano longs. Next pay-period, I got a dozen Kings, and like 8 Longs, LOL. To my chagrin, CVS cleared their shelves Sept 1st, rather than the planned October first, so I wasn't able to keep making the rounds. 

Two things I've found: The Longs have anywhere from 1-3 sticks per box of 5 that won't draw well. What I have left, I've simply cut in half, and smoke them that way. No waste. IF you find that a regular De Nobili/Parodi is a bit strong for you, try this. Light the head, and draw through the (larger) foot. That's the way I'm doing it now, for a more mild smoke.


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